Progressing to Mushy Foods

[Peony 3]

I had my surgery just two weeks ago and so far I'm very happy with the results. According to my surgeon's post-op guidelines, I was allowed to start incorporating mushy foods yesterday, but the truth is I couldn't do it! I have several concerns; 1. I don't want to regain the weight that I have lost, 2. I had so many complications with my (now removed) Lap-Band, I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my sleeve; 3. I'm worried that I don't know "how" to eat -- how to know when my body is full, how much I should be eating, etc.

As I mentioned above, it's only been two weeks, so I'm sure some of these things will get better with time. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced or is experiencing any of the same feelings -- and if you have any suggestions for coping.

[kellyw74 258]

I was afraid to go to each new food stage as well. I was always afraid of getting sick on something. I wanted to stay where I was because it was comfortable to me.

However, I found that each new stage was just fine. Take it slow, chew slowly. You will know when you have had enough. If you are afraid to overeat, just take 2-3 bites and call it quits the first few times. That is what I did until I became comfortable. I was afraid of throwing up from overeating so I undereat my sleeve. Haven't yet felt full!

I do eat a lot more than I did in the first few weeks tho!

Just don't stay in the stage you are on. Move on, but take it slow. If you are suppose to go to pureed food, then puree you something and take a few spoonfulls and be done with it. In a few hours when you feel ok eat a couple more bites. You will begin to see that it is o.k.

I stopped losing on this stage of food and my dr. said it was because of 'soft calories". He said all of his patients do this and I would lose again when I was able to eat solid Protein. So, if you don't lose for a week or two, don't get discouraged! We all do it.

You will know what is right for you and you will be fine!!

Kelly

[Peony 3]

Thank you so much for the advice, Kelly. I'm progressing slowly and trying to "listen" to my stomach with every bite. I knew that I would eventually have to take the first step, or bite, as it were, but I was just so apprehensive.

Also, thank you for the warning about hitting a bit of a weight loss plateau. I've been at the same weight for a few days now and I'm trying not to panic. :-)

Appreciate the information and support!

[biggriz 3]

I've been sleeved for two weeks as well and today was my first chance to go to mushies. I'll share my experience with you and hope it helps.

I made some instant mashed potatoes last night and packed a small portion in my lunch today for work. I laughed because I thought how funny it was that what I packed was the equivalent of two-three bites prior to the sleeve. I showed my wife and she thought it was funny too. She said the old me would have ate the entire pot full.

Anyhow, I ate the mashed potatoes at lunch today and they were outstanding. Who would have thought that instant mashed potatoes could taste so good. I ate them very slowly and methodically and felt full afterwards. Other than sipping my G2 the rest of the day I didn't need anything and I was full

When I got home, I decided to make a scrambled egg. Here is where things went wrong for me! I made an egg and added a half of a slice of 2% cheese to the top. Let it cool and then gave it a try. I gotta tell you it tasted so good, it was the best food I've ever eaten it seemed like. It was funny as soon as I took the first bite, I immediately said to myself, hey I'm gonna make another one of these - old me crept in for a second. Needless to say I ate small bites but way way way too fast! No sooner did I finish the last bite when I felt so uncomfortable and so full and so stuck - I thought I was going to vomit. I cannot believe how bad that felt!

I can assure you that you only do that once and you slow way down on the mushies! That feeling of something being stuck in my throat and the out of control feeling of overfull was so unbearable I thought maybe I'd be better off to vomit. I went and sat down and it started to pass after about an hour.

So, my advice to all those who are starting the mushies is to go for it, enjoy the real food again for the first time in forever but take it slow and easy! Like I said, the feeling that egg gave me was absolutely horrible. Next time I will eat a half to start with very slowly!

[kwikwits 20]

My food monster has been vanquished by NAUSEA AND GERD!

You know I never imagined in a million years that feeling ill could STOP my desire to eat and eat compulsively -- BUT IT HAS! I can't eat very much--some things only 2 ounces some things even less...two things happened fairly consistently;

1) I get very nauseous or I start out very nauseous when I wake up in the morning;

2) If I drink even a sip of Water while eating something -- I start to SLIME

3) I am NEVER hungry!

The nausea is getting very old very fast. Dr. says I only had 85% of my stomach removed 7 weeks ago -- which isn't that long ago. I maybe nauseous for 6 months to 1 year out of surgery (YUCK). I take my drugs compazine, omperazole and now ginger tea and ginger gum (natural no drugs). I have been told I MUST EAT Protein BECAUSE I'M GOING INTO STARVATION MODE AND I NEED TO HEAL AND HEALING NEEDS PROTEIN! Here is my guide to protein...

Tofu is a great idea -- easy to get down and a great source of Protein.< /span>

Ramen -- I don't do the noodles because they take up too much space and I need the protein -- but Ramen broth totally rocks! Plus good Ramen places will have fish cake,

hard boiled egg, very soft pork slices (chashu) and then give broth refills! Takes me nearly two hours and I can't finish the broth but I get in a good deal of protein. Sashimi -- I can eat a sashimi appetizer in about an hour or so. Getting about 16 - 28 grams of protein depending on what types of fish and how much I can eat.

I have lost more than 50 pounds including the two week pre-surgery diet. I feel the best when my stomach/esophagus is EMPTY! I am flying without a net so to speak -- not having food as an obsession is very odd -- I am less NUMB -- which means I get angry, frustrated and annoyed more easily! I sometimes don't know what to do with myself. Most planned eating experiences with others (going out to eat some place I liked before I was sleeved) haven't been so great. Everything tastes and seems different. I can't eat anything greasy and really don't want to now that I realize it tastes bad to me. I find myself "fearful" of feeling ill outside of my home -- not 'cause I may vomit -- because I don't -- I have SLIMED on the street -- but because I HATE FEELING NAUSEOUS AND HATE FEELING LIKE FOOD IS STUCK IN MY THROAT/ESOPHAGUS.

Just remember -- eat slowly. Really focus on and taste the food while it is in your mouth -- the bulk of digestion takes place in the mouth. Plus if your taste buds are feeling as deprived as mine are -- food tastes so intense now -- like my taste buds were on LSD! A Tomato tastes like the most amazing thing ever...it is very different. I guess I didn't pay attention to what the food actually tastes like.

As for the amounts I eat -- they are laughable. In the beginning the amount of food I would eat was so meager and the risk of feeling sick during and/or afterwards so great it just didn't seem worth the risk! Now I can accept that 2 or 3 spoonfuls is all I can eat at a time. Every time I order food out I want to take a picture of what it looked like when it was served and how it looked nearly the same when I asked the server to pack it up for home! Only when I feel really, really sick do I ever think "WTF did I do to myself?"

I can't help thinking my insurance company paid my surgeon to give me an eating disorder...I wonder if I will ever feel hungry again?

[readytolive 1]

Hi Kelly,

I just started eating soft foods this week and my weight loss has stopped. Interesting what your doc said, but what the heck is a "soft calorie?" How long did it take for you to start losing again? When you did was it like 1 lb or did several come off at once?

Thanks in advance and good luck Peony!

I was afraid to go to each new food stage as well. I was always afraid of getting sick on something. I wanted to stay where I was because it was comfortable to me.

However, I found that each new stage was just fine. Take it slow, chew slowly. You will know when you have had enough. If you are afraid to overeat, just take 2-3 bites and call it quits the first few times. That is what I did until I became comfortable. I was afraid of throwing up from overeating so I undereat my sleeve. Haven't yet felt full!

I do eat a lot more than I did in the first few weeks tho!

Just don't stay in the stage you are on. Move on, but take it slow. If you are suppose to go to pureed food, then puree you something and take a few spoonfulls and be done with it. In a few hours when you feel ok eat a couple more bites. You will begin to see that it is o.k.

I stopped losing on this stage of food and my dr. said it was because of 'soft calories". He said all of his patients do this and I would lose again when I was able to eat solid Protein. So, if you don't lose for a week or two, don't get discouraged! We all do it.

You will know what is right for you and you will be fine!!

Kelly

[Navelbunnie 13]

2) If I drink even a sip of Water while eating something -- I start to SLIME

Hi! I'm new the forum - had my surgery 11 days ago. What the heck is "slime"? You've got me scared! :-)

[italianlady13 80]

is my doctor wrong?????

He had me on Clear liquids for the first seven days. Now, I'm allowed to progress to pureed veggies is this right? I was able to get in a half cup of mashed potato and have a can of beets that I chewed until pureed....tell me if i'm doing something wrong please?!!!

[readytolive 1]

I've learned that there are several differing opinions from docs and also that people progress and heal at different rates. Personally, I think the one whole week on each stage is a plan to progress you easily into a new way of eating and that is good. That being said, I also think it is conservative because they don't want to give you an inch and have you take a mile so to speak. I was healthy before surgery (no other co-morbidities) and I have progressed well thru the healing after my surgery. I think the veggies are nutritious but the main requirement needed is Protein so I would always eat that first. After about a week of Protein Drinks I had soft foods. A little bit of scrambled egg and cheese went down fine. I just made sure to take tiny tiny bites and chew really well! I'm two weeks out today and yesterday I had some chicken. It was also fine using the same technique. I started walking the day after surgery and have done so every day and I really think this has helped my recovery. I'm back up to 45 min or so like before surgery. However, the key is progress at your own pace...everyone is different. You know your body and your comfort level. So take longer if you need to, my advice is to just be sure and get protein. I notice I am much more weak and tired if I skip the Protein Shake so I drink them daily!

[kellyw74 258]

Soft calories are soft liquidy foods in essence. These caloric liquids or soft foods increase the onset of hunger too soon before the next meal. Yogurt, ice cream, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, Soups, etc.

They don't stay in our stomachs long and should be avoided after the full-liquid stage as much as possible. We should focus on more solid forms of Protein.

Hope this helps!

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

I just started eating soft foods this week and my weight loss has stopped. Interesting what your doc said, but what the heck is a "soft calorie?" How long did it take for you to start losing again? When you did was it like 1 lb or did several come off at once?

Thanks in advance and good luck Peony!

[readytolive 1]

Thanks Kelly for the clarification. I have found that to be totally true!

Soft calories are soft liquidy foods in essence. These caloric liquids or soft foods increase the onset of hunger too soon before the next meal. Yogurt, ice cream, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, Soups, etc.

They don't stay in our stomachs long and should be avoided after the full-liquid stage as much as possible. We should focus on more solid forms of Protein.

Hope this helps!

Kelly

[Sunny702 2]

What solid Proteins do you suggest?

[readytolive 1]

Hi Sunny,

Congrats on your new sleeve! Some people start with refried Beans and a little cheese. I didn't do so well on the mushy phase and dove right in to regular food but it's not for everybody. chicken is dense and you need to eat it very slow and chew it really well! Otherwise I would have nitrate free turkey sandwich meat and string cheese. Just eat new foods very slowly and your sleeve will tell you if you can tolerate them or not.

Good luck to you!

[Yesssweetness 0]

Hi I'm 12 days post op I'm trying to ease into stage 2 purée foods but I just don't know what to try I feel like everything is stuck in my throat!! Please help!!:-) thanks